Led light board for a model train system and related methods

ABSTRACT

An LED light board for a model train system includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a decoder and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted thereon. The decoder includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, where the processor is coupled to the plurality of LEDs and is configured to control the plurality of LEDs. The decoder is configured to receive a a digital command control (DCC) signal comprising a plurality of configuration variables from a DCC hand controller via a model train track and to store the plurality of configuration variables in the memory. The processor is configured to read the plurality of configuration variables stored in the memory to control the plurality of LEDs. The LED light board also includes an accelerometer coupled to the decoder and is configured to turn the plurality of LEDs on and off in response to sensing movement.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/932,908 filed Nov. 8, 2019, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of model trains, and, more particularly, to a LED light board for a model train system and related methods.

BACKGROUND

Model train systems, also known as model railroads, have benefited from the electronics age due to miniaturization and digital signal processing. One of the most dramatic changes has been in the past 20 years when it became possible to individually control multiple model train engines on a common track. In the past a DC current was run through the two (or three) rails of the track so that more voltage resulted in more speed. To reverse the direction of the train, the polarity of the plus and minus voltage was reversed. A drawback was that this resulted in all engines on the same track would behave as one.

To provide for separate control of each train a method was developed that uses a pulsed DC current applied to the track. The time between pulses can be varied by milliseconds so there became a long pulse and short pulse. The timing of these pulses could be measured by a microprocessor to distinguish 1's and 0's. These were assembled into 8-bit bytes which then could be deciphered as commands and addresses. A board is installed inside a train with a microprocessor (MCU) having a decoder and software that interprets these bytes and in turn controls the voltage to a particular train engine motor making it go or not.

Included in the signal of bytes is a unique address (1 byte or 2 bytes) that must match a particular train in order for that train to follow the instructions that are received. In addition to motor function, each decoder may respond to multiple function commands (on or off). A decoder with these two controllable properties is generally identified as a multi-function decoder.

However, there is a need in the art for an improved device to individually program and control additional functions of the model trains.

SUMMARY

An LED light board for a model train system is disclosed. The LED light board includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a decoder and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted thereon. The decoder includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, where the processor is coupled to the plurality of LEDs and is configured to control the plurality of LEDs. The decoder is also configured to receive a digital command control (DCC) signal comprising a plurality of configuration variables from a digital DCC hand controller via a model train track and to store the plurality of configuration variables in the memory. The processor is configured to read the plurality of configuration variables stored in the memory to control the plurality of LEDs.

In addition, the memory comprises non-volatile memory that is configured to store software for operating the decoder and to store the plurality of configuration variables. The LED light board further comprises an accelerometer coupled to the decoder and is configured to turn the plurality of LEDs on and off in response to sensing movement. The LED light board may include a switching power circuit configured to receive power from the model train track and to regulate power to the processor and the plurality of LEDs. The decoder may also include a solid state magnetic switch coupled to the memory and that is configured to reset the memory to factory settings. The decoder may include a plurality of capacitors coupled to the switching power supply and that are configured to be enabled only when the LEDs are on to provide uninterrupted power to the plurality of LEDs.

The plurality of LEDs may comprise a first row and a second row of LEDS mounted to the PCB. A first configuration variable of the plurality of configuration variables may correspond to a brightness of the plurality of LEDs. Also, the decoder may include a plurality of auxiliary LEDs coupled to the processor and that are configured to be controlled separately from the plurality of LEDs. The decoder is assigned a unique address by the DCC controller in order to program the decoder to receive and store only the plurality of configuration variables corresponding to the unique address.

In another particular aspect, an LED light board for a model train system includes a DCC hand controller, and a model train car having a plurality of wheels configured to roll along a model train track. The model train track is configured to transmit power and signals to the model train car as the plurality of wheels contact the model train track. The system also includes a decoder and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted within the model train car.

The decoder is configured to receive a DCC signal comprising a plurality of configuration variables from the DCC hand controller via the model train track and to store the plurality of configuration variables. The decoder is also configured to read the plurality of configuration variables to control the plurality of LEDs. The decoder may further include an accelerometer that is configured to turn the plurality of LEDs on and off in response to sensing movement.

In addition, the decoder may include a switching power circuit configured to receiver power from the model train track and to regulate power to the decoder and the plurality of LEDs. The decoder may include a plurality of capacitors coupled to the switching power supply and configured to be enabled only when the LEDs are on to provide uninterrupted power to the plurality of LEDs. A unique address may be assigned to the decoder by the DCC controller in order to program the decoder to receive and store only the plurality of configuration variables corresponding to the unique address.

In another particular aspect, a method to control an LED light board of a model train is disclosed. The LED light board includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and having a decoder and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted thereon. The decoder also includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, where the processor is coupled to the plurality of LEDs and is configured to control the plurality of LEDs.

The method includes receiving a DCC signal comprising a plurality of configuration variables from a DCC hand controller via the model train track, and storing the plurality of configuration variables in the memory. The method may also include turning the plurality of LEDS on and off in response to an accelerometer coupled to the processor sensing movement. In addition, the method may include regulating power to the decoder and the plurality of LEDs received from a model trail track using a switching power circuit. The method may also include assigning a unique address to the decoder using the DCC controller in order to program the decoder to receive and store only the plurality of configuration variables corresponding to the unique address.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a model train car having an LED light board installed therein in which various aspects of the disclosure may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a double decker model train car having a plurality of LED light boards for lighting effects;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the LED light board; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of a caboose LED light board;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a DCC hand controller;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a dual row LED light board in which various aspects of the disclosure may be implemented;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the LED light board; and

FIG. 8 is a chart of configuration variables that may be programmed to the LED light board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

There is currently a standardized system of digital command control (“DCC”) for model trains. Accordingly, it is common in the industry to read a signal from the model train track and process it into usable code to drive a model railroad engine.

During the past ten years with the further miniaturization of component hardware it became more viable to include sound within the core functions of the decoders. In addition, software has also been developed to connect to the DCC system in order to monitor and control the actions of the trains on the layout from the computer.

One aspect of the invention disclosed herein for a new LED light board is directed to a new and improved system, generally designated 100, that allows configuration of various features without programming skills or a computer and specialty software.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention includes the ability to control LED lighting inside passenger train cars 102, 108 as well as the caboose and control them and program them (remotely) while on the model train track 104 via wheels 106 using a DCC system and decoder. Further, the ability for the system 100 to detect motions with an accelerometer allows the system 100 to dynamically turn the lights on and off without user or DCC intervention. The lights will stay on while the car is in motion and turn off (after a delay period) when the car stops moving or vice versa. For example, the lights come on with the car stops and turn off when moving.

Existing model train passenger cars do not have this dynamic feature and heretofore was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. Kids of all ages love animation and lights are one of the best kinds of animation. Some older stock cars from some manufacturers have static lights. Historically, they have used incandescent bulbs because they are inexpensive and easy to connect. A drawback of these existing systems is that they do not provide enough light. Another drawback of the existing systems from various manufacturers is that they draw too much power from the model train track and do not have a decoder and cannot otherwise be controlled remotely.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the LED light board 110 of the present invention includes a single board DCC decoder 115 configured with the function to control 3 to 11 (up to 22) light emitting diodes (LEDs) 112 depending on the length of the board. For example, this may include five lengths, four LED color offerings and two offerings with dual row LEDS used to light hallways of sleeper cars. The LED light board 110 may also include a plurality of resistors 126 coupled between the plurality of LEDs 112 and be configured to adjust a voltage per LED port,

White LED lights colors are measured in Kelvin (heat of the light). A 2000K LED looks yellowish simulating candlelight. A 3000K is the most typical and looks like a 100 watt incandescent bulb. 5000 k and 6500 k LEDs are bluer and simulate florescent type light. Thus, the user can choose the light type to match the era and style of the train car, which has not been available before.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a LED light board 130 for a caboose train car is illustrated. The decoder 115 is configured to control the white LEDS 112 mounted to the board 140 and also separately control the AUX pads 132, 134. The AUX pads 132, 134 are configured to connect red LEDs 133, 135 for the back of the train. The brightness level of the main LED lights 112 and the rear auxiliary (AUX) lights 133, 135 is adjustable and can be saved to non-volatile RAM of the LED light board 130. In addition, settings can be saved to EEPROM of the LED light board 130.

The LED light board 110 (or 130) is also configured so that the LEDS 112 can be set to Solid ON, OFF, Blink or Flicker for example, by programming the configuration variables. See FIG. 8 for a table of the configuration variables that can be programmed for many possible lighting effects. In addition, the LEDs 112 can also be configured for special effects for sleeper cars, caboose and rear-end drumhead lighting. Also, the LED board 110 is configured to adjust the brightness of the LEDs.

Moreover, a plurality of LED light boards 110 can be combined in a single car to create/solve unique lighting requirements such as a double decker car as shown in FIG. 2. By setting the address on both LED light boards to the same DCC address, they will operate as one.

In addition, multiple passenger cars of an entire train can have the LED light boards programmed with the same address so that they all function as one. There is no need for any separate electrical or mechanical connection. The onboard settings And/Or for the DCC system and controller (or accelerometer) can activate all the functions described.

In a particular aspect, sensitivity of an accelerometer 120 of the LED light board 110 can be programmed by the user. The main LEDs 112 can be set to FADE on/off or Instant On/Off in response to the accelerometer 120 detecting motion or lack of motion. For example, the LED light board 110 may be programmed to Auto-on without DCC command and control, or not.

The accelerometer 120 may comprise a 3-axis accelerometer that may be programmed to switch on and off to provide for automatic activation of the LED lighting. When on, lateral motion of the car—when pulled by an train engine will trigger the On function for the main LEDs 112. The AUX LEDs 133, 135 of the caboose LED light board 130 can be programmed the same as the main LEDs or left to operate independently.

The accelerometer 120 can be programmed to allow for the LEDs to stay on or off for one second to ten minutes (or longer), for example, after the car has stopped as indicated by a low threshold of movement by the accelerometer 120.

The LED light board 110 may be programmed for use with all NMRA systems DCC systems such as Digitrax and other manufacturers that are compliant with the standards. This feature has to do with the implementation of the speed control to set the brightness, which is unique to the LED light board 110.

For the N scale LED light boards there may be up to six LEDs. Electrically lighting these LEDs produces a slight amount of heat. For up to six LED the amount of heat is negligible.

The processor 118 of the LED light board 110 typically operates at between 3.3V and 5V. The input voltage from the DCC system is 12-18V. The LEDs 112 are typically 3-5V rated. That extra voltage (wattage) is dissipated in the form of heat.

The LED light board 110 of the instant invention may include nine, eleven, or up to twenty-two LEDs (for the dual row boards as shown in FIG. 6) plus the AUX LEDs without overheating as in the existing systems in the field. In particular, switching power supply circuitry 116 of the LED light board 110 is implemented to prevent overheating so that the LED light board 110 uses only what it needs to operate in order to solve the heat problem.

The switching power supply circuitry 116 also solves another problem with existing systems. In particular, DCC current on any layout with more than a few trains is a precious commodity. Most clubs do not permit running any accessories off the DCC so as to save it for the engines. But a passenger train with ten, fifteen or more cars would draw a significant amount of current. The circuitry of the LED light board 110 and the switching power supply circuitry 116 allows the LED light board 110 to use 100 ma and usually less than 50 ma per car.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the LED light boards 110 may be configured via the DCC hand controller 150 using configuration variables (“CV”). The hand controller 150 includes a display 152, a keypad 154 for entering values, a speed control 156 and function keys 158. The address for the LED light board 110 may be programmed using the hand controller 150 while the car 102 is on the model train track 104. There is no requirement to relocate it to a “programming track” as in existing systems. The LED light board 110 also may include an onboard hardware reset switch 122 as shown in FIG. 3, which is an easy fix if something goes wrong.

The LED light board 110 may have an onboard blue power light and a red aux light that may be disabled at user discretion. These are very small indicator lights that illuminate when the LED light board 110 is functioning. The LED light board 110 includes capacitors 124 to prevent flicker from a dirty track, for example.

Also, the LED light boards 110 (except caboose) include a 6-hole pin connection that allows for in-shop software updates. Accordingly, the LED light board 110 can be easily updated with the latest version and functionality.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a block diagram of the system 100 is illustrated. The system 100 includes a LED light board 110 that has a decoder 115 that comprises a memory 117 and a processor 118. The memory 117 stores firmware that contains instructions for the processor 118 to execute. The memory 117 also stores the configuration variables (CV) that correlate to how the LEDs 112 are programmed to function.

As explained above a DCC hand controller 150 can be used to program the CV for the LED light board 110 via a DCC signal that is transmitted over the model train track 104. A reset switch 122 is coupled to the decoder 115 in order to perform a hard reset to return the decoder 115 to factory set values if needed. The accelerometer 120 is coupled to the decoder.

A plurality of capacitors 124 may be included with the LED light board 110 in order to rectify any power interruptions and to eliminate any flicker in the operation of the LEDs 112 (LED1 to LEDn) including the auxiliary LEDs (Aux 1 and Aux 2) for the caboose train car.

A chart of configuration variables (CV) that may be programmed to the LED light board is shown in FIG. 8 and generally designated 200. The address of the CV is in the first column 202. The next column to the right 204 describes the behavior that can be programmed for a respective CV. For example, for CV 47 the behavior is “saved default brightness for main LEDs”. The next column to the right 206 includes comments that are helpful on how to program a particular value for that CV in order to obtain the desired performance from the LED light board. The unique address of the desired LED light board to be programmed must be set in order for the decoder of the desired LED light board to read the DCC signal and store the CV values being transmitted on the model train track.

In operation, the method of programming the LED light board 110 include receiving a DCC signal comprising a plurality of configuration variables from a DCC hand controller via the model train track, and storing the plurality of configuration variables in the memory. The method may also include turning the plurality of LEDS on and off in response to an accelerometer coupled to the processor sensing movement. In addition, the method may include regulating power to the decoder and the plurality of LEDs received from a model trail track using a switching power circuit. The method may also include assigning a unique address to the decoder using the DCC controller in order to program the decoder to receive and store only the plurality of configuration variables corresponding to the unique address.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. An LED light board for a model train system comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB) having a decoder and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted thereon; the decoder comprising, a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the processor coupled to the plurality of LEDs and configured to control the plurality of LEDs; wherein the decoder is configured to receive a digital command control (DCC) signal comprising a plurality of configuration variables from a DCC hand controller via a model train track and to store the plurality of configuration variables in the memory.
 2. The LED light board of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to read the plurality of configuration variables stored in the memory to control the plurality of LEDs.
 3. The LED light board of claim 2, wherein the memory comprises non-volatile memory configured to store software for operating the decoder and to store the plurality of configuration variables.
 4. The LED light board of claim 3, further comprising an accelerometer coupled to the decoder and configured to turn the plurality of LEDs on and off in response to sensing movement.
 5. The LED light board of claim 3, further comprising a switching power circuit configured to receiver power from the model train track and to regulate power to the processor and the plurality of LEDs.
 6. The LED light board of claim 3, the decoder further comprising a solid state magnetic switch coupled to the memory and configured to reset the memory to factory settings.
 7. The LED light board of claim 5, the decoder further comprising further a plurality of capacitors coupled to the switching power supply and configured to be enabled only when the LEDs are on to provide uninterrupted power to the plurality of LEDs.
 8. The LED light board of claim 3, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprise a first row and a second row of LEDS mounted to the PCB.
 9. The LED light board of claim 3, wherein a first configuration variable of the plurality of configuration variables corresponds to a brightness of the plurality of LEDs.
 10. The LED light board of claim 9, the decoder further comprising a plurality of auxiliary LEDs coupled to the processor and configured to be controlled separately from the plurality of LEDs.
 11. The LED light board of claim 10, wherein the decoder is assigned a unique address by the DCC controller in order to program the decoder to receive and store only the plurality of configuration variables corresponding to the unique address.
 12. An LED light board for a model train system comprising: a digital command control (DCC) hand controller; a model train car having a plurality of wheels configured to roll along a model train track, the model train track configured to transmit power and signals to the model train car as the plurality of wheels contact the model train track; and a decoder and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted within the model train car, the decoder configured to receive a DCC signal comprising a plurality of configuration variables from the DCC hand controller via the model train track and to store the plurality of configuration variables.
 13. The LED light board of claim 12, wherein the decoder is configured to read the plurality of configuration variables to control the plurality of LEDs.
 14. The LED light board of claim 13, wherein the decoder further comprises an accelerometer configured to turn the plurality of LEDs on and off in response to sensing movement, and a switching power circuit configured to receiver power from the model train track and to regulate power to the decoder and the plurality of LEDs.
 15. The LED light board of claim 14, the decoder further comprising further a plurality of capacitors coupled to the switching power supply and configured to be enabled only when the LEDs are on to provide uninterrupted power to the plurality of LEDs.
 16. The LED light board of claim 15, wherein the decoder is assigned a unique address by the DCC controller in order to program the decoder to receive and store only the plurality of configuration variables corresponding to the unique address.
 17. A method to control an LED light board of a model train, the LED light board comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) and having a decoder and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted thereon, the decoder comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the processor is coupled to the plurality of LEDs and is configured to control the plurality of LEDs, the method comprising: receiving a digital command control (DCC) signal comprising a plurality of configuration variables from a DCC hand controller via the model train track; and storing the plurality of configuration variables in the memory.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising turning the plurality of LEDS on and off in response to an accelerometer coupled to the processor sensing movement.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising regulating power to the decoder and the plurality of LEDs received from a model trail track using a switching power circuit.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising assigning a unique address to the decoder using the DCC controller in order to program the decoder to receive and store only the plurality of configuration variables corresponding to the unique address. 